Lateral control for aircraft



Julie 29, 1943.

F. M. ROGALLO LATERAL CONTROL FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. l5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fT/V. EOGALLO BY ATTORNEY June 29, 1943. F. M. ROGALLO LATERAL CONTROL FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Dec. 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY EM. ROGALLO ATTORNEW June 29, 1943. ROGALLO 2,322,745

LATERAL CONTROL FOR AIRCRAFT Filed De c. 1a, 1940 a ShegatsSheet s INVENTOR FMPOGALLO ATTORNEY BY -M MW Patented June 29, .1943

. UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE nsTEnhL CONTROL FOR AIRCRAFT Francis Melvin Rogallo, Hampton, Va. Application December 19, 1940, Serial No. 369,999 4' Claims. do]. 244-90) (dazed under the act. of March 3, 1883, as

amendedApi-ll 30, 1928; 370. 0. G. 757) This invention relates lateral control for aircraft, and has for an object to provide anlmproved means craft. g

A further object of this invention is to provide a lateral control meansfor aircraft which acts of laterally controlling an airin cooperation with a slotthrough the aircraft wings and either completely closes the slot in both wings when in neutral position or opens the :slot of one wingwhen extended partly. above the upper wing surface; and simultaneously maintains the slot of the other wing closed when extended below th lower wing surface.

- A further obiectof this invention is to provide a slot in an aircraft wing and to provide a plug so shaped as to completely fill the slot and to close the same whenfin neutral or downwardly i extending position and open the slot when in "upwardly extending position. I A further obiectof this invention is to provide a wing slot and a plug filling the same, which plug may be extended through the upper surface of the wing to serve as a spoiler or retractable aileron, and atthe same time leave an opening. forslotthroughth wins. a i

A' further objector this invention is to pro.-

vide a lateral control means which may or may not extend the full length of the aircraft wing and is located substantially forward of the trailingedge, thereby permitting the trailing edge in beprovided with a full span wind brake or lift increasing device. a

A further object of this inventionis to. provide a lateral control aileron which i retractable into a the wing in neutral position, eliminating the use of externalhinges such as exemplified in U. S.

Patent to Weick, 2,174,542,and which may be deproper time-moment characteristics so that the pilot utilizing same will have the same feel on the 1 manual controls that he does with the convenedgefree of the aileron so that it may be provided with extremely desirable wind brake or lift increasing devices/thereby greatly increasing the maneuverability of the aircraft.

A further object ofithis invention is to provide the improved lateral control-means of this invention with ice elimination features when the aircraft is apt tobe used in regions where there is danger of ice formationinter'fering with the operation thereof. i

With-the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement or parts hereinafter described and diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings, in which: U

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of anairplane wing to which this invention has been applied;

Fig. 2ls a sectional view on line 2 -2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 33ofFlg.1;

Fig. 4 is asectional view, similar to Fig. 2, but

of a slightly modified form; I l

slightly modified form ofthe invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view similar to Fig. 3, of the form shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isan enlarged sectional view of another Figs. '7 and 8 show still other ways of hinging the control means of this invention; and

form includingthe icing means.

flected in both directions from theneutralposi- 1,857,962, which can move in onl i from theneutral position.

There is shown st ll! an airplane wing extending from the side of the fuselage I I and having'its trailin edge I! provided with a wind brake or other lift increasing device I3, which 1 may extend the full span of the wing l0 andas A further object or this invention is to provide a retractable aileron whichis located within a slot forward of the trailing edge. which serves as far as I4; if desired, although it will be understood that this invention is equally applicable to a wing having no lift increasing device thereon.

Extending parallel to the lateral axis of the wing Iliis a slot IS in which the lateral control a plug to fill theslot when in neutral. position,

but leaves an opening through the wing when inupward position, whereby air flow through the slot greatly improves th hinge moment, rolling moment and time responsive characteristics of the device.

Still a furthegobiect of this invention is to provide a retractable aileron operating through a slot in the wing having the proper feel and plug or aileron ii of this invention is located. This plug or aileron i6 is mounted on hinges l1 "pivoted at 18 within the wing lll, these hinges ll belng preferably located at opposite ends of the plug or aileron [6, the wing l0 being provided with suitable recesses permitting pivotal movement of the hinges l1.

' I Suitable and conventional control mechanisms connect hinges I! to the controls in the fuselage so that when-the I Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view, showing a i an inch apart from each other. plurality of similarly spaced internal slots 23 may extend from the lower forward edge 2d of the,

aileron of one wing is moved. upwardly, the other one is moved downwardly, and vice versa, permitting both ailerons to reach. or depart from neutral position simultaneously, but in opposite directions, as customary.

The plug it may extend as a solid curved sectlon between the hinges ll, and is of less thicl-z- 'ness than the width of slot 551, the plug and, slot being both. curved, as shown, with the pivot as the center of curvature. Eutend ing rearwardly from the upper edge of the plug i6 is a lip 2i. completing the width of the slot it, while extending forwardly at the lower edge of; the slot it is another lip 22, whichreaches substantially to theouter curved surface of the the plugs are in neutral position, that is, the full line position shown in Fig. 2, andin Fig. 3, the slot i is substantially closed, leaving a substau tially uninterrupted air flow suriace'on both the top and bottom of thawing it." Whenthe plug iii is raised, to theposltion. till lip it moves to the position tilt and the slot iii is opened, permitting a towel air theretlu ough, causing the plug is in position Mil to act as spoiler while the lip 2i acts as a scoop, directing air through the slot.

- ing the clesirable clip and rolling moment of that wing for controlling the flight of the aircraft By making slight modificationsas broughtout in the additionally modified formshereinafter described, some of the characteristics of the rolllug moment, time response and yawing moment, as well as hinge moments, areysomewhat im= proved. In Figs. 4 and 5, the lip 92d has its upper surface placed at a slight rearward angle to the surface of the wing 5 ill, while the plugl ill is provided with a plurality of substantially horizontal slots 22 extending therethrough'l'beneath the lip 820. These slots 22 will preferably be about one inch in width and will be spaced about In addition, a

plug or aileron H6 upwardly and rearwardly to about the middle of slot l1 Q5.

The presence of the upper rear angle on the lip I assists in maintaining the plug lit in neutral position. When the plug l l6 commences its movement toward the position HM, the slot 22 meeting the air flow over the upper surface of wing Hll resists initial movement. At the same time the 5101123 in the plug in the other wing being simultaneously; deflected'toward position M62, builds up positive air pressure within the slot M5 to assist in returning the aileron or plug Hi? to the neutral position in Fig. 5, the total area oirthe slots 23 being substantially greater than the total escape area about the lip 52b to 1 provide this desirable positive pressure.

In Fig. d the plug as is shown as provided with upwardly angular slots extending-from just above its forward lower edge 22% to the slot 285.

" However rio upper horizontal slot is used, below the lip 22d as in the form just previously described.

in the form shown in Fig. "7, the plug Stole shaped somewhat. differently With its upper rear edge to extending closely adjacent the upper rear plug ill. as a result of such constructiouwhen sesame but the slot is maintained substantially closed when the plug fill-*3 in theother wing is simultaneously deflected downwardly.

, in the form shown in 5, the plug or aileron dill is provided with an upper hinge pivoted thereto audto the wing dill forward oi the slot Jill, while another hinge is pivoted in the wing lillrearwardly of the slot 5W5 and adjacent the lower edge of plug or aileron did. The curve-- ture of the walls of the plug and slot are as shown, whereby when the plug lid is raised up wardly the slot is opened behind the plug 386, for

the lower forward edge 329 01? plug 6 l 6 follows the forward wall of the slot, while the rearward edge 83d moves awayfrom the rear wall of the slot dill, and at the same time the upper forward wall of plug 36% approaches the upper forward edge of the slot while the rear wall of the plug moves away from the upper rear edge of slot 355, providing a substantial slot therethrough. 7 When being deflected, downwardly, however, the upper rear edge 3253 of plug 366 follows closely along the rear wall of slot 565, while H the forward wall of masses follows closely along 2 and 3.

the forward lower edge of slot (lid, thus keeping the slot closed.

In Fig. 9, the plug 5% has its upper lip 5% made of seml-fiexible rubber audits lower edge 5% of similar material, while a lip 529 on the lower rear edge of the slot M5 is likewise of rubber. The structure and operation of this form is otherwise similar. to the form shown in Figs. However, when in regions where ice tends to form, the sembfiexible rubber edges and lips tend to vibrateduring operation or under the weight of the ice, thereby cracking the ice and shaking thelce free therefrom.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangement of the parts may be made by those'skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the lnventlon,withln the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for thefiov'ernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment, of any royalties thereon or therefor. i

I claim:

1.In an airplane wing, lateral control means comprising walls forming a slot extending through the wing from the lowerto the upper surface there0f,- a single plug pivotally held in said slot, said plug being of a length substantially equal to the thickness of said wing, the th ckness of said plug being substantially less than the width of said slot, said plugbeing movable along theiorward wall of said slot, a lip at the upper edge of said plug extending rearwardly a distauce substantially equal to the width of said slot; a lip at the bottom edge of said rear slot wall extending forwardly therefrom to the rear wall or" said plug, said plug being through said slot from a neutral positiou in said slot to a position'eiztending either below said wing or said. wing, said. plug lip cooperating with. slot wall lip to maintaiu said slot movable closed while said plug is entirely within or extending partly below said wing and leaving said slot open when said plug is extending partly above said wing.

2. In an airplane wing, lateral control means comprising walls forming a slot extending through the wing from the lower to the upper surface thereof, a single plug plvotally held in said slot, said plug being of a length substantially equal to the thickness of said wing, the thickness of said plug being substantially less than the width of said slot, said plug being movable along the forward wall of said slot, a lip at the upper edge of said plug extending rearwardly a d stance substantially equal to the width of said slot, a lip at the bottom edge of said rear slot wall extending forwardly therefrom to the rear wall ofsaid plug, said plug being movable through said slot from a neutral position in said slot to a position extending either below said wing or above said wing, said plug lip cooperatingwith said slotwall lip to maintain said slot closed while said plug is entirely within or extending partly below said wing and leaving said slot open when said plug is extending partly'above said, wing,

said plug having a plurality of openings extending therethrough, located Just below said lip thereon,

3. In an airplane wing, lateral control means comprising walls forming a slot extending through the wing from the lower to the upper surface thereof, a single plug pivotally held in said slot, said plug being of a length substantially equal to the thickness of said wing, the thickness of said plug being substantially less than the a width of said slot, said plug being movable along the forward wall of. said slot, a lip at 'the upper edge of said plug extending rearwardly a distance substantially equal to the width 01' said slot. a lip at thebottom edge of said rear slot wall extending forwardly therefrom to the rear wall of said plug, said plug being movable through said slot from a neutral position in said slot to a position extending either below said wing or above said wing, said plug lip cooperating with said slot wall lip to maintain said slot closed while said plug is entirely within or extending partly below said wing and leaving said slot open when said plug is extending partly above said wing, said plug having a plurality of slotted openings extending therethrough from the lower forward edge thereof diagonally upward to within said slot when said plug is in neutral position.

4. In an airplane wing, lateral control means comprising walls forming a slot extending through the wing from the lower to the upper surface thereof, a single plug pivotally held in said slot, said plug being of a length substantially equal to thethickness of said wing, the thickness of said plug being substantially less than the width of said slot, said plug being movable along the forward wall of said slot, a lip at the upper edge of said plug extending rearwardly a distance substantially equal to the width of said slot, a lip at the bottom edge of said rear slot wall extending forwardly therefrom to the rear wall of said plug, said plug being movable through said slot from a neutral position in said slot to a position extending either below said wing or above said wing, said plug lip cooperating with said slot wall lip to maintain said slot closed while said plug is entirely within or extending partly below said wing and leaving said slot open when said plug is extending partly above said wing, said plug having a plurality of slotted openings extending therethrough from the lower forward edge thereof diagonally to within said slot when said plug is in neutral position, the

of said wing slot when said plug is in the lower position, thereby providing a positive pressure assisting in restoring said plug to the neutral position.

FRANCIS MELVIN ROGALLO.

total area of said slotted openings being somewhat greater than the total escape area 

